Understanding the Power of God
(week 52/08)
Olubi Johnson
God is about to release the Spirit without measure in the church, so it is necessary to have a spiritual understanding of the power of God in all wisdom:
Colossians 1:9 (MKJV): For this cause we also, since the day we heard, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that you might be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding,
Now the understanding of spiritual things that we cannot see comes through the understanding of corresponding natural things that we can see:
Romans 1:20 (KJVR): For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
In particular, in the physical world, Physics is the study of natural or physical power or energy: mechanical, heat, sound, light, electrical and nuclear energy.
In the spirit, Christianity is the study of God.s character and power: power of godliness (2 Timothy 3.5), power of protection, healing and deliverance (Acts.10.38) and the power to get wealth (Deuteronomy. 8.18).
Now, just as there are physical laws that govern the generation, release and reception of physical power; there are spiritual and moral laws that govern the generation, transmission and reception of God.s power.
Romans 8:2 MKJV: But the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.
For instance, the power of God is generated by praying with power of the Holy Spirit with tongues and travail (See our book ‘A Practical Guide to Prayer’ for details):
Acts 2:1-4 ESV: When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. (2) And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. (3) And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. (4) And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.
Isaiah 66:8 ESV: Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen such things? Shall a land be born in one day? Shall a nation be brought forth in one moment? For as soon as Zion was in labour she brought forth her children.
1 Kings 18:42-44 ESV: So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Mount Carmel. And he bowed himself down on the earth and put his face between his knees. (43) And he said to his servant, “Go up now, look toward the sea.” And he went up and looked and said, “There is nothing.” And he said, “Go again,” seven times. (44) And at the seventh time he said, “Behold, a little cloud like a man’s hand is rising from the sea.” And he said, “Go up, say to Ahab, ‘Prepare your chariot and go down, lest the rain stop you.'”
James 5:16-18 AMP: Confess to one another therefore your faults (your slips, your false steps, your offenses, your sins) and pray [also] for one another, that you may be healed and restored [to a spiritual tone of mind and heart]. The earnest (heartfelt, continued) prayer of a righteous man makes tremendous power available [dynamic in its working]. (17) Elijah was a human being with a nature such as we have [with feelings, affections, and a constitution like ours]; and he prayed earnestly for it not to rain, and no rain fell on the earth for three years and six months. [I Kings 17:1.] (18) And [then] he prayed again and the heavens supplied rain and the land produced its crops [as usual]. [I Kings 18:42-45.]
The power of God is released or transmitted through words and thoughts:
Mark 11:22-23 ESV: And Jesus answered them, “Have faith in God. (23) Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him.
Proverbs 20:8 MKJV: A king who sits in the throne of judgment scatters away all evil with his eyes…. Ephesians 1:18 ESV having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints,
Luke 5:17 AMP: One of those days, as He was teaching, there were Pharisees and teachers of the Law sitting by, who had come from every village and town of Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was [present] with Him to heal them.
The power of God is received or rejected by words and thoughts:
Mark 5:25-34 ESV: And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, (26) and who had suffered much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was no better but rather grew worse. (27) She had heard the reports about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his garment. (28) For she said, “If I touch even his garments, I will be made well.” (29) And immediately the flow of blood dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease. (30) And Jesus, perceiving in himself that power had gone out from him, immediately turned about in the crowd and said, “Who touched my garments?” (31) And his disciples said to him, “You see the crowd pressing around you, and yet you say, ‘Who touched me?'” (32) And he looked around to see who had done it. (33) But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling and fell down before him and told him the whole truth. (34) And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.”
Mark 6:1-6 ESV: He went away from there and came to his hometown, and his disciples followed him. (2) And on the Sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astonished, saying, “Where did this man get these things? What is the wisdom given to him? How are such mighty works done by his hands? (3) Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him. (4) And Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor, except in his hometown and among his relatives and in his own household.” (5) And he could do no mighty work there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them. 6 And he marveled because of their unbelief.
Luke 10:5-6 ESV: Whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace be to this house!’ (6) And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest upon him. But if not, it will return to you.
These scriptures show us that the power of God can be transmitted and received or rejected by the words and thoughts: either words or thoughts of faith or words and thoughts of unbelief or offense.
Using the natural analogy of electrical power: power can be transmitted into a house but each room or area of the house will have a fuse. Now, if the fuse is blown, power will not enter that room, not because there is no power in the house but because the fuse is either blown or not in place at all. Similarly, spiritually, the power of God can be released in a church service, but each individual person is like a room in the house and his fuse of faith activated by his thoughts and words must be in place for him to receive the power of God that has or is being released.
For instance in
Luke 5:21-26 ESV: And the scribes and the Pharisees began to question, saying, “Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?” (22) When Jesus perceived their thoughts, he answered them, “Why do you question in your hearts? (23) Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’? (24) But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”–he said to the man who was paralyzed–“I say to you, rise, pick up your bed and go home.” (25) And immediately he rose up before them and picked up what he had been lying on and went home, glorifying God. (26) And amazement seized them all, and they glorified God and were filled with awe, saying, “We have seen extraordinary things today.”
The Pharisees did not receive the power of God that was present to heal them because of their wrong thoughts and attitudes; however, the paralyzed man received the same power present and was healed because of his attitude of faith. In Nazareth in Mk. 6.5 quoted above, they did not receive the great power of God released by Jesus’ words because their wrong thoughts of offence and unbelief.
So, just like the generation, release and receiving of physical power is governed by the physical laws of Physics; the generation, release and receiving of the power God is governed by the spiritual and moral laws of prayer, faith, humility and honesty. As we end 2008 and go into 2009 let us learn and put into diligent operation these spiritual laws so we can enjoy the benefits of power of God without measure that God is about to release in His church!
